By Arnie Leshin
A goal each from the Smith sisters, 8th grader Elsa, and senior Daisy, and a tremendous goal save by freshman Logan Hunt brought visiting St. Michael’s a 2-2 deadlock in two District 2-3A scoreless overtimes Tuesday afternoon at Wood Field.
With two regular-season games to go, it put the Lady Horsemen at 14-3-1 overall and 6-1-1 in district.
Under first year head coach Maggie Feil, they have a match Thursday at Robertson (9-6-1) and on Tuesday afternoon at the Christian Brothers Athletic Complex, it’s the key regular-season finale versus top-ranked, 3-time defending state champion Albuquerque Sandia Prep, 15-1 overall and 7-0 in district, and turned back visiting St. Michael’s, 2-1, in the first encounter.
Elsa Ranney Smith scored the first St. Michael’s goal after a scoreless first half, and Daisy Ranney Smith tied the score in the second half. After two 10-minute overtimes, it ended in the tie as the Bobcats advanced to 7-4-1 overall and 4-2-1 in district. The tie provided the Lady Horsemen with the tiebreaker after defeating Bosque, 3-2, in the previous game.
St. Michael’s had an edge in corner kicks, 4-3, Bosque in off sides, 5-2, and the Bobcats in fouls, 6-4. Eighth grader Ophella Ruddell and freshman Alison Unruh scored the Bosque goals. In another district match, Sandia Prep shut down Santa Fe Prep, 10-0.
Academy of Technology and The Classics can wrap up its first district title by disposing of Rehoboth on the road today. The Phoenix is 11-1 and its lone loss was 3-2 in a non district match at West Las Vegas. Rehoboth 5-8. ATC had topped Navajo Prep in district play Tuesday, 5-2.
In boy’s soccer, St. Michael’s, at home, came from behind to force a 3-3 district tie with Bosque Charter School. Down 3-1, Horseman Wesley Sage Graham scored on a penalty kick to cut the gap to 3-2. Esteban Rigales then tied things a few minutes later to force two scoreless overtimes that ended the match deadlocked.
At Santa Fe Prep’s Sun Mountain Field, Sandia Prep blanked the Griffins, 7-0, in district play to drop them to 3-11 overall and 2-6 in district.